Parent Coaching Philosophy

My parent coaching is informed by my parenting, my psychotherapy, and my addictions knowledge. My passion for parent education and parent coaching stems from my experiences as a parent. As a new parent, even though I had a Masters Degree in Social Work, I had no idea what to do. My parents had been rigid and controlling. I knew I didn’t want to parent like them; therefore, I voraciously read parenting books and was able to learn enough to survive the first few years, focusing on being genuinely present and meeting all my children’s needs.

By the time my kids were 3 and 5, they were out-of-control. I felt overwhelmed and helpless. In order to be different from my parents, I had been overly permissive, with no structure, no limits, no boundaries. I soon realized that wasn’t working any better.

Around that time, I had the good fortune to be able to take a parenting class. It helped, because I learned that while I had done the job of meeting their needs, I had not known how to set appropriate boundaries or limits on their wants. So, I took another parenting class, and another, and another. Each class taught me more skills I was able to implement, as they built on each other. With much diligence, perseverance, satisfaction, and pride in myself, I developed parenting instincts that matched my philosophy of parenting.

From Stephanie’s Blog …

Kristin Neff's research and information on self-compassion can be powerful and helpful for all of us. She calls herself a self-compassion evangelist. Her main message, which I'm summarizing in case you don't have time to listen to her YouTube TEDx … [Read More...]

What is REAL Parenting?

REAL stands for Respect, Empathy, Appreciation and Love, which all kids need. Learn more …